


Sure Sign of Sanity

by CrimesOfADeadpool



Series: "Writer For Hire" -  Marvel Oneshots [5]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-13
Updated: 2015-05-13
Packaged: 2018-03-30 09:26:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3931654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrimesOfADeadpool/pseuds/CrimesOfADeadpool
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve's a shifter. And sure maybe a Golden Retriever isn't the fiercest animal out there to be able to shift into, but he likes it just fine. And the cute brunet at the park seems to like it too. Now if only he could just get up the courage to speak to him in person so that Bucky will stop laughing at him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sure Sign of Sanity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chibi_luna_chan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibi_luna_chan/gifts).



> chibi_luna_chan prompted: "Tony is a normal MIT student. (although still a rich genius.) Whenever he needs to relax after class or a project he goes to a little park near his loft apartment and the campus. Since he's been going there he's made friends with a Golden Retriever wearing a blue collar with the name Steve on the tag.  
> Steve's a shifter. And sure maybe a Golden Retriever isn't the fiercest animal out there to be able to shift into, but he likes it just fine. And the cute brunet at the park seems to like it too. Now if only he could just get up the courage to speak to him in person so that Bucky will stop laughing at him."
> 
> Hope I did it justice~ Couldn't think of a description so I used part of the prompt. I'll change it later though~

MIT was supposed to be hard. It was supposed…what? Fill in that hole in his heart? Give him a proper purpose in life?  
Tony didn’t believe in stuff like that.  
He had, however, hoped it could keep him entertained. He slumped down at the nearest bench and put his hands on his head. Being smart sucked.  
“Rwoof?”  
Tony’s head darted up. A blonde dog was sitting in front of him.  
“Oh.” Tony said. Weird. “Hey dog.”  
The dog trotted forward and rubbed its head against his knee. Tony gave a half chuckle and petted its head.  
“Must be nice being a dog, huh?”  
The dog whined.  
“No schools, no expectations, no stupid people. All you have to do is know how to fetch.”  
The dog’s ears pricked up.  
“I uh… don’t have a stick.”  
The dog made another noise and ran off.  
“Yeah, yeah, leave me like everyone else,” Tony muttered, his heart not really in it.  
He got out his phone and tapped away some messages to Pepper.  
“Rwoof?”  
Tony frowned and looked down. The dog had returned, and, as soon as it had got Tony’s attention, it dropped a stick in front of him.  
Tony blinked twice. “Oh.” He leant down. “That’s uh… nice. Good work.”  
The dog pushed the stick towards him with its snout.  
“You want me to throw it?” He put away his phone. “I mean, I guess I can.” He leant down, picked up the stick, and threw it. Badly.  
The dog gave him a look.  
“Shut up,” he grumbled. “I’m having a bad day.”  
The dog seemed to be grinning at him as he trotted the short distance to the stick and brought it back. It dropped it again.  
“Is this going to be a thing?”  
The dog waited and Tony sighed. He picked up the stick and stood up, aiming it properly this time and throwing it.  
The dog gave him an approving look and ran off.  
  
This continued for a few hours, back and forth, throwing and fetching, and after a while, he almost forgot how sucky MIT was.  
Finally, he yawned and sat down again. The dog returned with the stick and made a disappointed noise. Tony waved it away.  
“Not all of us have dog-like energy, you know.”  
The dog seemed to shrug and offered its stomach to be petted. Tony leant over and obliged him. “Oh hey,” he said, noticing for the first time the blue collar around the dog’s neck. He reached over to examine the tag. “Steve. Hmm.” He ran a hand through the dog’s fur again. “Guess you’re a boy then, huh?”  
The dog gave him a look that seemed to say ‘Yeah, obviously.’  
Tony sighed and stood up. The dog jumped up too.  
“No, no, you stay here, I’ve got to go home.”  
Steve made a displeased noise.  
Tony shrugged. “Maybe I’ll see you again sometime. Bye Steve.”  
  
XXX  
  
Steve trotted through the park, strangely happy.  
“You’re so lame,” came a voice from near him and Steve’s head shot up.  
A man with long hair stepped towards him, shaking his head.  
<<How long have you been there?>>  
Bucky gave him a look, and Steve’s spirits sunk.  
<<He was sad.>>  
“Yeah yeah. You’re a wonderful human being.” He waved his hand. “Or relevant equivalent.”  
Steve rolled his eyes. <<Did you want something?>>  
“I did.” He held out a bag. “Change back, there’s a cute barista I need to woo.”  
Steve looked around.  
“There’s no one around, I checked.”  
Steve shook his head and Shifted.  
His body began to grow, fur receding, limbs changing, till the Golden Retriever was gone, replaced by an incredibly attractive, (and incredibly naked) human. He reached for the bag and began pulling out clothes.  
“I suppose you need to me to take the barista’s mind off your awful pick-up lines?”  
“Oh, I suppose I should just play fetch with him?”  
“I think a panther walking into a coffee shop wouldn’t get quite the reaction you would hope for.”  
“I dunno, I’m a very charming panther.”  
Steve raised an eyebrow. “When did they redefine ‘charming’?”  
“Oh shut up, Mr ‘Let’s Play Fetch For Three Hours Straight.’”  
“Has it really been that long?”  
Bucky shrugged. “Longer even.”  
“Huh.”  
“Guess he’s good with a stick, huh?” Bucky said mischievously.  
Steve elbowed him in the stomach. “Come on, don’t you have a barista to scare off?”  
  
XXX  
  
Tony had all but forgotten about the dog by the time he returned to the park. It had been a few months and the workload was _finally_ picking up, so he was in a much better mood than the last time he’d been there. He was humming to himself as he strolled through the park.  
“Rwoof?” came a familiar noise.  
“Hmm? Oh! Hey Stevie.” He crouched down and the dog ran to him. He scratched Steve’s ear. “What’s up?”  
The dog barked at him.  
Tony nodded. “Me too, me too.” He stood up and stretched. “Life’s pretty good at the moment, I must say.”  
Steve barked again. Tony started walking again, and Steve followed him.  
“Of course, it’s not _great._ I mean, people still talk to me behind my back and all, but what can you do? It’s not my fault I’m rich.” He shrugged. “But hey, what’s new with you? Dig any holes recently? Fetch sticks? Sniff butts?”  
Steve growled.  
Tony threw up his hands. “Hey I’m not judging.”  
Steve gave him a look and trotted on ahead of him.  
Tony walked quickly to catch up. “I…uh…didn’t mean to offend you.”  
Steve glanced at him, then pointedly tossed his head and sped up.  
“Hey!” Tony started jogging to keep up. “I’m sorry.”  
The dog slowed to a stop and Tony sighed and petted him on the head.  
“Why am I apologising to a dog?”  
Steve shrugged and wagged his tail.  
Tony sighed and started walking again.  
  
XXX  
  
“Hey, you know your boyfriend is famous?” Bucky asked from the table.  
“Huh?”  
“Your boyfriend,” Bucky repeated. He held up the morning newspaper. “That’s him right?”  
Steve flushed. “He’s not my boyfriend.” He wasn’t. And if Steve had been spending more time at the park these last few months, it’s just cos he was feeling playful. And if Tony started bringing him food and new toys, that was just cos he was bored.  
“Sure he isn’t.”  
“Give me that,” Steve demanded, hitting Bucky over the head as he stole the paper.  
“Steve Stark. That could work,” Bucky mused as Steve skimmed the article.  
“How’s that barista going?” Steve retorted.  
Bucky didn’t respond.  
  
XXX  
  
Tony kicked at the ground. He had needed to get out.  
The tabloids had been up to their tricks again. They had managed to take a snap of him and a girl together and were now postulating all these wild theories about them being together. Which would be fine, happened all the time, if it wasn’t for the girl _talking_ to the press about how they were together now. Tony didn’t even know her name.  
The whole thing was ridiculous.  
“Rwoof?”  
“Not in the mood Steve.”  
“Rwoo?”  
“I said scram!”  
Steve gave him a soulful look.  
Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Please. I just want to be alone.” He sat down, leaning against a tree and pulling his knees to his chest.  
There was a pause, and then there was a warm snout nuzzling at his shoulder.  
Tony scowled and pushed him away.  
Steve barked at him playfully.  
“Oh, for the love of… I said scram.”  
Steve walked cautiously back to him, and sat next to him.  
Tony watched him. “Really. You’re just going to sit there. What a rebel.”  
Steve nodded in agreement.  
  
XXX  
  
Steve wasn’t waiting for Tony. That would be sad.  
Really sad.  
If Bucky found out, he would never live it down.  
But Steve _was_ a bit worried about him.  
He hadn’t seen Tony since he’d told him to scram, a month back, and since then, the tabloids had gotten worse. Steve was feeling over-protective. The tabloids were being vicious.  
Steve knew Tony hadn’t slept with that girl, despite her blathering on about their sex life and Tony’s attitude, his smugness and rudeness and general horribleness. The man she described was nothing like the man Steve knew.  
Steve whined to himself.  
“Steve?”  
Steve jumped, and ran towards the voice, rubbing against Tony as soon as he reached him.  
“Hey buddy,” Tony said, hugging him awkwardly. “Sorry I haven’t been to see you recently.”  
Steve whined again.  
“People are stupid,” Tony told him. “Rude. Liars.” He shook his head. “It must be nice to be a dog,” he finished, echoing his previous sentiments. Steve nuzzled at him and he sighed. “It’ll blow over. It always does.”  
  
XXX  
  
True to his word, the tabloids forgot about it after a while. In the end, all it did was add to his reputation. The girl even apologised to him afterwards. He didn’t care. If nothing else, at least she’d got a few thousand dollars out of it.  
“Hey Steve,” Tony said, without looking up. He was getting better at predicting him.  
Steve barked at him and moved to walk with him.  
Tony patted his pockets and pulled out some treats that Steve seemed to like. Steve made a noise and Tony stopped.  
“ _Beg,”_ Tony commanded.  
Steve propped himself up in typical begging style.  
“Good boy.” Tony dropped a treat and Steve gobbled it up. “See, I knew you weren’t really a rebel.”  
“Steve!” The voice came from across the park.  
Tony and Steve’s heads darted up at the noise. A man was jogging toward them.  
“Rwoo?” Steve said in confusion.  
“Something wrong?” Tony asked.  
The man pointed to Steve. “That’s my dog.”  
“Oh.”  
“Yeah. And we need to go home.” He made a tutting noise and Steve took a step toward him. Then he tossed Tony a worried look.  
“Well go on,” Tony said brazenly. “Your owner wants you.”  
Steve nodded and the man turned and began walking away, Steve on his heels.  
Tony let out all the air in his lungs. Steve had an owner.  
_Of course Steve had an owner._ He had a collar, didn’t he? The guy probably lived near here, and let him out from time to time.  
So why was he upset?  
He couldn’t figure it out. Steve was a dog.  
It was just… He liked having someone to talk to. Dog was man’s best friend and all.  
Tony never had a real best friend.  
  
XXX  
  
This was the fifth time Tony had gone to the park within a fortnight.  
Steve hadn’t shown up a single time.  
Well, of course not, his owner was probably worried that his dog was hanging out with some weirdo in the park.  
Well, it’s not like it mattered anyway.  
He had stuff to do. MIT actually required a bit of effort nowadays. He couldn’t waste time looking after a dog he didn’t even own.  
  
XXX  
  
Steve paced the length of the park.  
<<I’m sorry Steve>> Bucky said for the hundredth time, pacing beside him in panther form.  
<<It’s fine. You needed me.>> Steve shook his head. <<Why are you Shifted?>>  
Bucky shrugged. <<I dunno. I’m a better tracker than you Goldie>>  
<<Yeah and you also make a bigger target>>  
<<I have a collar. People probably think I’m a domesticated panther>>  
<<That isn’t a thing>> Steve coughed. <<It doesn’t matted anyway>>  
<<Really? I thought you had a thing>>  
<<He thinks I’m a dog>>  
<<Whose fault is that?>>  
<<Yeah I suppose I should have just told him I’m a shapeshifter>>  
<<You could have just met him in the park in human form and not mentioned being a dog at all>>  
Steve stopped. <<Oh>>  
<<Yeah>>  
Steve whined. <<I don’t think he likes humans much>>  
<<No one does>>  
<<He wouldn’t have given me the time of day>>  
<Keep telling yourself that>>  
  
XXX  
  
Break. It was finally break.  
Tony wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.  
He had nothing to do. He had wandered around his apartment, watching tv, catching up on sleep. Doing nothing.  
And he was going stir crazy.  
He groaned from the bed. “I need to get out.” He rolled out of bed and threw on a t-shirt.  
  
XXX  
  
It had been months since he’d gone to the park. He fell into his normal walking pattern easily, humming as he looked around, noticing what had changed, what was the same.  
There was an excited barking and a blur, and somehow Tony found himself on the ground, a Golden Retriever burying its head in his chest.  
Tony groaned and petted him. “Ow.”  
Steve looked up at him in concern and Tony pushed him off. “Geez, you’d think you’d have learnt manners by now.”  
Steve wagged his tail at him. Tony winced and pulled himself back to his feet, dusting himself off.  
“Ow.” He said again.  
Steve yapped at him and jumped up, placing his paws on Tony’s chest.  
“Yeah, yeah I missed you too.”  
Steve fell back onto all fours, bouncing with energy.  
Tony rolled his eyes at him. “So where’s your owner huh?”  
Steve froze and his head dropped. “Rwoo.” Then he growled and began trotting away.  
“Steve?”  
Steve stopped and tossed his head, in a clear ‘come with me’ gesture.  
“Oh no, I’m not following you anywhere.”  
Steve tossed his head again, more insistently.  
Tony sighed.  
  
XXX  
  
“Where are we going?” Tony asked for the fifth time.  
Steve made a noise and continued to walk.  
“Great, no this is great. I love following dogs, that’s a sure sign of sanity.”  
Steve trotted up to the gate to his house and pushed at it, then followed the path up to his front door.  
“No, no, no,” Tony said. “We’re not breaking into a house, no thank you.”  
Steve shot him a look and jumped up, pulling at the door handle, so that the door swung open.  
“Did your owner teach you that?” Tony asked.  
Steve gestured at him to follow and Tony sighed again. “Fine, but if I get arrested I’m blaming you.”  
  
XXX  
  
Tony followed Steve into the house’s kitchen and froze.  
So did the other man, Steve’s owner, sitting at the table, spoon hovering near his mouth.  
“Uh…” Tony blanked. “This isn’t what it looks like.”  
The man opened his mouth than shut it again. He looked at Steve. “What are you…?”  
Steve barked twice.  
“Oh.” The man pulled a face. “You sure?”  
Steve barked again.  
Okay. So the man was obviously crazy.  
“I’m going to uh…go. Sorry for the intrusion and all.”  
Steve growled suddenly and jumped in his way.  
“Don’t worry about it,” the man said with a smirk as he stood up. He passed Tony and petted Steve’s head. “Have fun.”  
And then he left.  
“What just ha-”  
He turned around.  
Steve was gone.  
There was a naked man standing in his place.  
  
XXX  
  
“Arghh!”  
Admittedly, not what Steve had been hoping for. Expecting? Yes. Hoping? Nope.  
“Ah, hi,” Steve said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. “I’m Steve.”  
Tony blinked twice. “You named your dog after yourself? Is that some sort of kink thing? Wait, no I don’t want to know.”  
Steve blushed. “No, sorry, I meant… I am Steve. The dog. I’m the dog.”  
Tony nodded. “Oh. Okay. That makes sense.” He gestured to the door behind him. “Just go straight to leave right?”  
“ _Tony,”_ Steve said, stepping toward him.  
Tony backed up. “Right, guy who thinks he’s a dog, I mean, it’s been swell.”  
Steve breathed out slowly. “Okay. Just-Just keep your eyes on me for a sec.” He closed his eyes and Shifted.  
“Holy shit,” Tony murmured.  
Steve barked at him once.  
“I’ve gone insane,” Tony muttered to himself. “I’ve gone beyond stir crazy into actual craziness.”  
Steve Shifted back. “I’m a shapeshifter,” he began.  
“Of course you are.”  
Steve sighed. “I know it’s weird.”  
“Crazy,” Tony interrupted. “Crazy. Definitely the word I’d use.”  
“Crazy. But that’s what I am. That’s what Bucky is-”  
“Who?”  
“My…” Steve gestured towards the door. “Owner. Though obviously not my real owner cos I…don’t have an owner.” He shrugged.  
“Oh, yeah, course. Lemme guess. He gives off a Dalmatian kinda vibe right?”  
“Panther actually.”  
Tony blinked at him. “You can turn into a panther, and yet you choose to be a _Golden Retriever?”_  
“I didn’t _choose_ to be a Golden Retriever. And what’s wrong with them anyway?”  
“Oh nothing, if you’re not comparing them to _panthers.”_  
Steve narrowed his eyes.  
Tony shook his head. “Right, so what, you’re telling me this. And then you’re going to kill me? That’s what comes next right?”  
“I’m not going to kill you.”  
“Right. Why are you telling me this now? Am I being inducted?”  
“That’s not how this works.”  
“Then _what?”_ Tony asked angrily. “Why turn my world around for no reason?”  
“There is a reason.”  
“I’m all ears.”  
Steve flushed again. “I like you.”  
Tony stared at him for a moment. “Ohmygod a dog is hitting on me.”  
“I’m _not_ a dog.”  
“Wow, all this time I thought we were having fun, you were actually hitting on me.”  
“That’s not-”  
“I feel used.”  
“ _Tony!”_  
Tony looked back at him.  
“Just… I just wanted you to know.”  
Tony closed his eyes and leant against the wall. “I must be hallucinating though right? Is this some sort of media prank? My dog just turned into a hot naked guy-”  
“You think I’m hot?”  
“And now he’s flirting with me.”  
Steve stepped toward him. “I know it’s weird.”  
“Crazy.”  
“But… I like spending time with you. And it felt wrong to keep this from you.”  
“No, no, no, I think I was happier when you were keeping this from me.”  
Steve grabbed his shoulders. “Tony!” He sighed and took one of Tony’s hands in his own and brought it to his chest, resting over his heart. “I am _human._ ”  
“For now,” Tony mumbled, blinking at him.  
“And I like you.”  
Tony nodded. “Most people do. I’m charming.”  
Steve moved closer again. “I _really_ like you.” He leant down and kissed him.  
Tony’s eyelids fluttered.  
They parted.  
“I knew you were hitting on me.”  
Steve’s mouth twisted.  
“I…” Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Aw fuck it,” he said, closing the distance and kissing him again. “If I’m gonna go crazy, may as well be with a hot guy as my boyfriend right?”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't... I don't really have words. Um.. yeah...  
> I may have to go over this later, it's 2am at the moment, so I'm sure there are mistakes and stuff. I might go back and expand it someday, but idk, not anytime soon probably. 
> 
> So yeah, I left Bucky's crush intentionally ambiguous, idk either Sam or Nat. I may do a sequel/parallel side story following Bucky, if someone wants to prompt that? Idk. Yeah, that two week thing in my mind is the barista catching Bucky changing and then Bucky freaking out over it and everything and having to explain everything and yeah. 
> 
> I'm asking for Marvel prompts - either in the comment section or on my [tumblr](http://crimesofadeadpool.tumblr.com/). So you know, leave me a message if you have one, or just want to talk about Marvel in general, I have read a /lot/ of comics.


End file.
